So, turns out that last article wasn’t accurately sourced.

It was sent to me be a reader, from a Breslov website, and when I went back to check the quotations – I couldn’t find them where they were supposed to be, in what the post said was Likutey Moharan 4:24.

Why does it matter?

Because TRUTH matters.

Even in the smallest details.

Especially, with the smallest details.

I decided to unpublish the last post, and to go and find some more of what Rabbenu said about ‘truth’, properly sources.

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So, here is what Rabbenu says about ‘Truth’, taken from the BRI’s English translation of Likutey Etzot, called ‘Advice’.

In the chapter called ‘TRUTH and FAITH’, number 5, p. 7:

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The only way to find truth is to draw closer to the Tzaddikim and follow their guidance.

Do not turn aside from their words either to the left or the right.

Then the truth will be engraved within you and you will achieve genuine faith.

By the same token, keep well away from bad influences.

Pay no attention to the suggestions of those who are the enemies of the truth, who raise every kind of question about the truth.

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You can succeed in this through observing the mitzvah of tzitzit…

Tzitzit are a hedge against immorality which is directly contrary to the Holy Covenant [i.e. the Brit] between God and the Jewish people and is one of the strongest forces which can undermine truth.

The guidance and advice of worthless people actually breeds immorality.

Through observing the mitzvah of tzitzit you will be able to purify yourself and to observe the Brit, which is the foundation of emuna.

All the teachings of the Tzaddikim are bound up with this.

(Likutey Moharan I 7:3.)

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Can you see the difference?

Or rather, I should say can you feel the difference?

As I was writing this out, I literally got goosebumps.

The only way to get to the ‘truth’ is by connecting to the True Tzaddikim – especially Rebbe Nachman, and the Rav – and following their advice.

And Rabbenu’s main advice is to do an hour a day of hitbodedut every single day.

Without making some effort to talk to God every single day, a person is invariably stuck in the world of lies still, no matter how ‘awake’ and enlightened they believe themselves to be.

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And ‘real Rabbenu’ also ties all this back to keeping mitzvot sincerely and especially, guarding the Brit.

And of course, all the big mashpi’im online, whose ads pop up in the middle of Youtube videos, aren’t doing that at all.

And of course, we then find this happening all over the place:

The guidance and advice of worthless people actually breeds immorality.

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At the moment, I have been feeling pretty burned-out.

For a few different reasons.

One of the things I’ve been thinking about, as a result, is how ‘lazy’ so many people are today, expecting and wanting everything to be handed to them on a silver platter, especially spiritually.

And this is especially true in the West, where we want the appearance of having achieved ‘nirvana’ – so we can boast about it on our Instagram Channel – but without having to put the effort in required to get there.

Youtube, the internet generally, is peopled by millions of ‘enlightened’ influencers who are anything but.

If they were really as ‘enlightened’ as they claim, the last place you’d be finding them is giving shiurim online with millions of followers, or at the heart of slick marketing campaigns.

I’ve seen how much censorship got doled out to Rav Berland – and anything to do with him.

Videos taken down, all social media accounts closed, any ‘publicity’ met with ferocious push-back and more media ‘lie’ campaigns – funded and organised from the very top.

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Why?

Because the Rav is the real deal.

Just like Rabbenu is and was the real deal.

And following the path of the True Tzaddikim is what gets us all out of the ‘world of lies’ we are currently trapped in.

Which is why, the Evils will do anything they can to keep pulling people off that path, and down blind alleys following fake tzaddikim who not only can’t help their followers, spiritually, but actually do this instead:

The guidance and advice of worthless people actually breeds immorality.

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So going forward, I am super-happy to put up more quotes from Rabbenu, Rav Natan and the Rav.

But please, spend five minutes just checking them out first, and find the source in Rabbenu’s actual teachings.

Because each word is precious, each word has a purpose, and quoting the real Tzaddikim accurately is what gives power to the words to light up the reader’s heart and soul – to actually make a difference.

To start to think differently, believe differently, act differently, live differently.

It’s work, real work.

But it’s so worth it.